Liveshow
by LelliieTheSnake
Summary: This is based off a tumblr post I can't find but it has stuck with me so I wrote it. "OTP admitting feelings for each other in the middle of a live recording AU"


"GAVIN YOU FUCK!"

Michael Jones wasn't usually one for liveshows. He'd done a couple before, but Ray had convinced him to do a joint show with Gavin this particular evening because they'd not had time to record another Play Pals episode. With production on Lazer Team heating up and Michael now working on Fairy Tail neither of them had enough time to edit and put together a video. So this was their clever solution.

"YOU SHOT ME AGAIN? REALLY? ASSHOLE!"

"But Michael!" Gavin giggled, joy in his voice, as he tried to hold off the enemies until Michael respawned. "We're moving so fast I can't bloody tell who you are!"

"I'M THE OTHER ONE THE SAME COLOUR AS YOU YOU FUCKING MORON."

Silence fell for a moment, but then Gavin spoke quietly, failing to hide the amusement in his voice. "I'm really sorry boi."

"Yeah yeah. Asshole." Michael replied affectionately, and while the next level screen loaded he took a glance across at Gavin.

It was approaching 9.30pm and they were both exhausted after several long days of filming. No amount of redbull could quite keep away the dark circles under Gavin's eyes, or the worn out look creeping onto his features. That didn't stop him smiling up at Michael as if he were Gavin's world though, and Michael smiled back at him, happy and enjoying the moment.

"I love you." The words fell from Gavin's lips quietly and calmly, but there was no doubting the concrete sincerity behind them. Gavin himself didn't seem to realise they'd been said out loud until Michael's frame stiffened. Then his eyes and mouth went wide with horror as he realised.

Michael's first thought was their many viewers and he desperately tried to brush it off. "Of course you do Gav, I'm your boi!" he replied and turned back to the screen, but it wasn't fooling anyone. There was a complete lack of conviction in his humour and Gavin was still sat next to him completely frozen in front of their 7463 live viewers. For a moment Michael debated talking about the next level and whether he could save the stream.

Then Gavin finally moved. He glanced at the camera, horrified as he realised not only Michael but also 7463 people had heard his confession, and seeing his eyes widen Michael decided to just cut their losses. There was no way they'd be able to resume playing animatedly.

"Well uh, these first few levels were great fun. We'll be back soon. Bye." He cut the screen as the words had barely left his mouth, and after watching the screen go black addressed the tense stillness in the room by turning to his closest friend.

"Shit." Gavin whispered, and Michael for once in his life didn't know what to say. He wanted to be mad at Gavin for derailing the stream so spectacularly, but enormity of what Gavin had just said to him was starting to sink in. The Brit was visibly terrified of and waiting for Michael's next move and he couldn't do anything that would damage their friendship now.

"Gavin." The panic of the audience had left Michael a bit now, and it was finally hitting him that Gavin had admitted to being in love with him. Gavin's eyes slowly rose to meet his gaze and Michael spoke softly. "Did you mean it?"

After a pause, Gav gave a short nod. The shock was finally subsiding and he was desperately trying to think of ways to save the situation and possibly their entire friendship. Michael seemed to want honesty, so he exhaled a shaky breath and said "Yeah. I did."

_Well holy shit_ was Michael's foremost chain of thought. He desperately to come up with something reassuring to say but had no idea how to proceed. While he thought, Gavin's brain went into to overdrive searching for ways to fix the situation.

"I'm sorry." Gavin blurted out, snapping Michael out of his daze. "You probably didn't need this complication. We can try and just ignore it if yo-"

"Gav no." Michael cut him off. "I care a lot about you Gavin and this is obviously huge for you. I don't really know how to take it at the moment; it's a big thing to fucking process. But it's not something ignorable, it's how you feel."

A shimmer of relief crossed Gavin's worried face and Michael leant forwards to pull him into a hug. He wrapped his arms round the skinny Brit and would never admit to another living soul that he felt the slight sob into his shoulder. The thought had crossed his mind that this was all just a joke, but he'd rarely ever seen Gavin this shaken and quiet. It couldn't be an act. Gav took a moment to let the relief wash over him that Michael's reaction was supportive and held onto his friend until the stress subsided and he calmed down.

They broke apart just in time, as the door swung open and Geoff walked in, a worried expression on his face.

"Guys what the fuck just happened? I was in a meeting with Burnie when Barb rang and said twitter had exploded with hashtag-mavin-is-canon."

Michael gave an "uhhhh…", unsure if Gavin would be okay with him just spilling it. But Gavin just looked up at his boss and close friend with a sad smile and said "I went and spoke thoughts out loud again didn't I?"

Geoff's face softened immediately. "For real?"

"Yeah. Those three words and everything."

"Well shit." Geoff replied, running a hand through his hair. It wasn't malicious, mostly just surprised. Gavin continued to look up at him with a sad smile. Michael sat awkwardly behind him.

"So uh," Geoff asked after a minute, "Is Mavin canon then?"

Michael and Gavin glanced at each other. "We hadn't gotten that far yet." Michael supplied, and Geoff rubbed his hand over his face.

"Well. I suppose I'll leave you guys to it and go back to Burnie, but either way, you need to prepare for a media shitstorm." He turned to leave. "And no sex in the office!"

He left the room and there was silence once more. _It's funny_, Gavin thought, even now the silence between them wasn't at all awkward.

"So. Are we canon?" Michael joked, and the Brit looked back at him.

"That kinda depends on you."

Michael realised the gravity of the choices facing him next and took a deep breath. "I'm gonna need some more time to think about this Gav. Whatever happens next there'll be huge implications for both work and our private lives."

"I'm sorry," Gavin started panicking again, "If I'd have just kept my mouth shut-"

"No! Gavin I'm pleased you told me. Not with how publically it was done, but I am glad I know. I can say that for sure. I wouldn't want you hiding something like that."

Gavin gave him a warm smile. "Thanks boi."

Michael stretched, relieving some of the tension in his shoulders. "Well now the livestream's over we don't really have much of a reason to be here. Do you want me to drive you home?"

"I was supposed to be getting a lift from Geoff."

"Do you wanna face Geoff and Burnie at the moment?" Michael said seriously, predicting before Gavin could think about it how uncomfortable it would make the Brit.

"Actually yeah. Give me a lift. I'll text Geoff that I got a lift from you."

Gavin was jumpy on the way into work the next day. He sat with his leg bouncing restlessly in the car, staring out of the window while Geoff drove ahead. By the time Geoff got home the previous evening Gavin had locked himself away for the night, and had only emerged this morning with just enough time to get into the car for work.

"So." Geoff started, still looking at the road ahead. "Do you wanna talk about last night? Cause actually it doesn't matter. We're gonna have to release some sort of press statement today so you're going to have to tell us where you stand on the matter."

Gavin sighed. "I don't know where we 'stand on the matter'. Michael said he needed time to think. I don't know how much time he needs or whether I should be keeping my distance. I just. I don't know."

Geoff heard the rising panic in his voice. "Hey dude it's okay. We'll handle it. As a company but also as friends. Michael might need some time but I highly doubt he'd want you to stay away from him, you two are close as dicks. Just talk to him when you get to work."

"I, okay." Gavin replied. But Geoff wasn't done.

"How do YOU feel about this Gavin?" he asked softly, and Gavin sighed, running one hand over his face.

"I don't know. It just sort of happened. I just spoke. And then I realised not only that Michael had heard me but then also that seven bloody thousand people had too. And I just panicked. And froze. It's not like me at all, I must have looked like a right mong. And then Michael shut down the stream and I just didn't know what to say. I just sat there? What the fuck are you supposed to say there, "sorry I'm in love with you it won't happen again?" If I ever had any chance at this I fucked it up good and proper."

Geoff sighed again, feeling increasingly like a parent with a lovesick teenager. "Gavin if anyone will listen to you and give you a chance it's Michael. Whether he wants your dick in him or not he still cares a lot about you."

"I guess."

"You know it."

When they rolled up to the office Gavin didn't have to wait long. Michael was already at his desk and stood up when Gavin came in, quietly ushering him into the empty office next door so they could chat.

"So uh, I had a think about yesterday." Michael started awkwardly.

"And?"

"I uh…" he paused for a moment, not knowing how to say what he meant. Gavin immediately read it as a rejection.

"It's okay if you don't feel the sam-" Gavin started hurriedly, just as Michael opened his mouth to speak.

"Do you wanna go on a date?" he said, rushing out the words.

Gavin was caught completely off guard. "What?"

"Gavin Free, would you like to go on a date with me." Michael repeated slowly. This time it was Michael that started gushing at the lack of a response. "I mean I'm willing to give us a go if you want. I still feel a bit weird about touching tips I'll be honest but if we just wanna start by going on a date and seeing where it goes and shit I'll be happy to try and be couple-y."

Gavin got over his shock and his face split into a huge grin from ear to ear, pure happiness radiating off of him. "Yes. Yes Michael."

Michael smiled, relieved and amazed at the joy those words had put onto Gavin's face. He pulled Gavin into a brief but tight hug.

"Well that's great then. We'll talk out details later but right now I think we need to go and tell the office."

"Yeah they are kinda waiting on us." Gavin turned to leave but Michael grabbed his wrist, pulling him back to face him.

"Before we go…" he started, and brought his hands up to Gavin's face, kissing him quickly before letting go. Gavin blushed bright red.

"Thanks Michael." He giggled.

"Anything for you, boi."


End file.
